Gareth Bale was an unused substitute again as his Real Madrid side were involved in their UEFA Champions League thriller against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
While the 4-3 goalfest was playing out, Wales skipper Bale remained in a familiar position in recent years - on the bench. Bale's relationship with Real supporters and the Spanish media in particular has been strained for some time now. A perceived reluctance to engage with the language and culture has seen the 32-year-old widely and at times unfairly criticised, with his huge contract and injury record used as a stick to frequently beat him with.
Relations reached a new nadir during the last international break, with a Spanish columnist labelling Bale "a parasite", which in turn prompted the former Tottenham man to hit back with a stinging response on his social media channel, condemning the criticism. Supporters have in recent times have also booed him when on the field at the Bernabeu.
